The New START treaty, which would cut the number of US and Russian warheads by a third and resume on-site inspections of nuclear weapons facilities after a one-year suspension, overcame one of the last remaining procedural hurdles in the Senate Tuesday in a 67-28 vote.

Fifty-four Democratic senators and two independents voted to limit debate. They were joined by 11 Republicans — Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Robert Bennett of Utah, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Olympia Snowe of Maine, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Susan Collins of Maine, George Voinovich of Ohio and Scott Brown of Massachusetts.

Five senators were not present for the vote, including three who are expected to vote for final ratification – Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.).

Tuesday’s cloture vote to limit debate on the treaty paves the way for the Senate to vote on ratification of the treaty which, as stated by Article II section 2 of the US Constitution, requires the consent of two-thirds of Senators present.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Republican Ranking Member Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) addressed reporters after the vote, saying that a final vote for ratification will come Wednesday morning, or at the very latest, Wednesday afternoon.

“This is not over, we need to count every vote and stay on this,” Kerry said, acknowledging that Democrats have enough votes for ratification. He also praised Republicans who voted to limit debate. “This would not have happened without bipartisanship,” he said.

Lugar expressed his hope that more Republicans would vote for ratification Wednesday, saying, “I’m hopeful that Republicans will contribute more votes on final passage.”

Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were both spotted in the Capitol prior to the vote.

President Barack Obama has made ratification of the treaty one of his top priorities in the lame-duck session of Congress. The president signed the treaty with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on April 8, 2010.